FLASHBACK

CNMI GOVT OPEN TO MILLER’S CALL FOR PROBE

The CNMI Legislature and the Babauta administration expressed no concern over the reported call by U.S. congressman George Miller (D-CA) for a congressional investigation into former lobbyist Jack Abramoff’s activities in the Northern Marianas Islands from 1994 to 2001. “Sure. That’s part of the democratic process. We need to find out what’s going on and if there’s any law that’s violated, that would be taken cared of for sure,” said House leadership spokesman Charles Reyes in an interview Friday.

SUBMERGED LANDS RULING APPEALED

Asserting its claim over some 264,000-square miles of submerged lands in the Northern Marianas, the CNMI government has asked the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit to have a full-panel rehearing on its dispute with the federal government. The CNMI petitioned the Ninth Circuit Thursday for an en banc hearing on the ownership dispute, after the appellate court’s three-man panel upheld earlier this year the federal government’s sovereignty over the Northern Marianas and claim over the submerged lands. An en banc proceeding will submit the issue for review before the full membership of the Ninth Circuit.

April 17, 2004

USGS: ANATAHAN RUMBLING TO LIFE AGAIN

WASHINGTON-A swarm of seismic activity heralding renewed eruptive activity at Anatahan volcano in the CNMI has prompted the U.S. Geological Survey to issue a warning that ash emitted by the volcano could be hazardous to aircraft. The swarm of seismic activity, which began early on March 31, has prompted the U.S. Geological Survey to notify the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Washington Volcanic Ash Advisory Center of the possible hazard posed to aircraft.

PETE A. SAYS 2005 IS WORRISOME FOR THE NMI

Resident Representative Pete A. Tenorio disclosed that plans are now in the works to secure additional help from Washington D.C. to reduce the impact of the lifting of the quota restriction to the Northern Marianas in January 2005. The Washington representative said he has begun discussing with people in the nation’s capital the possibility of restructuring the existing Headnote 3-A provisions, which would allow the local apparel sector to maximize profitability by allowing the entry of pre-cut fabrics.

April 17, 2003

ANTI-SARS MEASURES TOUTED

The Commonwealth Ports Authority said yesterday that responsible agencies continue to coordinate among themselves to monitor passengers arriving on Saipan to prevent the entry of the mystery disease Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome. CPA Executive Director Carlos H. Salas said the Department of Public Health, the Labor and Immigration Department, and airline companies are in close coordination with the ports authority in figuring out ways on how to respond to a SARS emergency.

GOVERNOR, BIZ LEADERS TO MEET ON SARS

Gov. Juan N. Babauta will meet with tourism and business leaders today to discuss preventive measures against the entry of the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome into the CNMI. Babauta, in an interview yesterday, said that while the government and the business community have set in place some precautionary measures, he wants to take the issue one step further to ensure full protection of the whole community.

April 17, 2002

MORE JAPANESE COUPLES EXCHANGING ‘I DOS’ ON SAIPAN

The September 11 terror attacks in the United States recoiled positively to the Northern Marianas, which, along with Guam, has been cited by travelers from Japan as one of the preferred wedding destinations around the world. This, even as the Japan Travel Bureau disclosed that reservations for honeymoon trips to the islands dropped by 4.6 percent from 95.8 in the 2001 Spring Honeymoon Season to this year’s 93.4 percent.

ONCE MORE WITH FEELINGS: DIVERSIFY

As tourism remains to be the CNMI economy’s bread and butter together with the apparel sector, the Pacific Asia Travel Association said the Commonwealth needs to tap other tourist markets, particularly Europe, just as another Pacific country—Palau—has penetrated the region. “Palau has an agent and a tourism office in Germany. They’re really attracting a lot of tourists from Europe, from Germany, specifically to Palau for diving,” said Carmen C. Gaskins, special project committee chair of PATA’s Micronesia Chapter. “We can coordinate and cooperate with that, and have a share market.”